EVENT GUIDE: Supercars Round 4 Tasmania

Supercars goes on its annual trip to Tasmania this weekend where all will be watching to see if Gen3 can end Triple Eight’s crushing grip on the small circuit.

Symmons Plains raises the bat for its 50th Supercars/ATCC round this weekend and first with Gen3 machinery. The 2.4km is a short and fast layout done in 50s, highlighted by its ultra-tight hairpin and long straights. As a result brakes are put to the test and the hairpin’s banking promotes nose-to-tail racing. Three sprints will be showcased across the first two-day round of the season.

Triple Eight Race Engineering has enjoyed at least one win at Symmons Plains in 14 of the last 15 years. The exception was 2013 when Brad Jones Racing scored a clean sweep in the opening year of the Car of the Future era. The field hopes the roll out of Gen3 has a similar effect, but the stats suggest otherwise.

Six of the last seven races have been won by Triple Eight cars with Shane van Gisbergen smoking the field last year.

On their day both van Gisbergen and Broc Feeney have both been near unbeatable in the Gen3 Camaro and will be some of the favourites.

Ford is hopeful of finally beating a Camaro to P1 on track this year at Symmons Plains, but it would have to be a track where it has recorded just two wins from the last 24 races at the circuit.

Due to the track characterised by two long straights, acceleration and straight line speed is vital for extracting maximum time from the 2.4km layout.

With this in mind, the new Ford engine map being rolled out to improve throttle response will be put under the microscope.

Hoping to lead the Ford charge is Chaz Mostert, who scored his first win in Walkinshaw Andretti United colours at Tasmania in 2021, whilst Grove Racing also cannot be discounted.

But if Ford is to defy history and outpace the Camaros at Symmons Plains, it must find a way past the all-conquering Coke Camaros.

Erebus Motorsport has taken full advantage of the Gen3 reset and hopes to extend its advantage in the drivers’ and teams’ championships.

Despite never recording a win or a pole in Tasmania, the Perth and Albert Park success mean the team enters each round in a fearless frame of mind.

Brodie Kostecki has been the man to beat manhandling his Camaro, while Will Brown finally reached the top step at Wanneroo after experiencing some bad luck.
The sprint format will be retained at Symmons Plains where qualifying will be key with eight of the last 20 races won by pole position.

Download the full Supercars Tasmania Round 4 Event Guide with track stats and facts and a full event schedule, plus our extensive driver profiles here